Parenting advice

Parenting advice

You’ll find that once you’re pregnant, all sorts of people from childless Uncles to complete strangers in the supermarket will offer you parenting advice. It seems everyone is an expert and they can’t wait to share their parenting wisdom and advice with you, regardless of whether you ask for it or not. For sound parenting advice, free of bias and misinformation, look no further than here. Within this section is practical information on the key areas – some of which you may not even have thought of – such as tax breaks for families, the childcare rebate, and taking baby photos. We even discuss the advantages of teaching your child two languages – a hot topic in multicultural Australia.

Financial support

The media makes a big deal about the supposed costs of raising children. Truth is it’s only as expensive as you can afford it to be. Sure, it costs a bundle to send kids to private violin lessons, which is wonderful thing to do if you can pay for it, but good parenting doesn’t require a massive income. Heaps of parents choose to let their kids spend their spare time making (free) mud pies or reading (free) library books, without any ill effect. There are also insights into the real cost of parenting a child: lack of sleep, loss of identity, less romance in your relationship, and career compromises. These non-monetary ‘costs’ are the real price we pay for the joy of having kids. And most parents wouldn’t have it any other way.

Government assistance

Most folks have no idea they could be eligible for financial assistance for parents from the government. Some things are means tested, but others aren’t – including the maternity payment and the childcare rebate. Find out what you could get and get parenting advice about family tax breaks. You and your partner could be in for a pleasant surprise! But trying to find out what you’re entitled to and how to claim your share can be a major headache. Let us talk you through it. We’ve made the process simple and easy to understand.

Preschool

So you want or need to return to work one day after baby is born? Or perhaps you just want the odd afternoon off to catch up with friends, study, play sport or go to the hairdresser? But who’s going to care for your child? Talking about preschool childcare can give many first-time parents’ heart palpitations, especially if you’ve heard the horror stories about 3-year waiting lists for top daycare centres. Don’t despair: Huggies is here to tell you about all the childcare options available to you and how to choose the one that best suits your child and your work commitments. There’s something for everyone, from night shift workers to breastfeeding mothers working at home. Huggies also gives you tips and advice for making the experience as easy and as pain-free as possible for both you and your little one.

Parenting tips

Here other parents share their parenting tips and suggestions, learned from experience. Discover an easy way to tell if baby has a fever if you don’t have a thermometer handy, the best type of liquid to give a child with gastro, and more. You might also like to join the Huggies Forum so you too can share parenting tips and advice with others.

Taking baby photos

You’ll want to capture your baby’s every special look and magic moment. But often the results are disappointing. Babies can be frustratingly difficult to photograph. All that wriggling! And even the most outgoing baby can turn shy or irritable when the camera comes out for the umpteenth time. Huggies has asked Anissa K Photography to provide you with easy-to-follow tips, tricks and parenting advice for taking baby photos. Learn how to frame and light the scene, the common mistakes, and much more, so you can take photos you’ll be proud of and your friends and family will treasure forever.

Bilingual children

With over 200 languages spoken in Australian, it’s no surprise that bilingualism in on the rise and becoming more valued. Much has been written about the pros and cons of small children learning a second language. Many say there are huge intellectual and social advantages, while others think children get confused. Huggies explores the issue and provides the latest research findings on bilingual children. Also read an expert opinion from speech pathologist Anneliese Hastings, who explains why she is a big believer in the benefits, such as an increased ability to concentrate and multi-task.

The information contained in this site is not an alternative for specific, individual medical advice and guidance from your doctor or health care provider, where all surrounding conditions and circumstances are known. If you are worried about your own health, or your child’s well being, seek immediate medical advice. You should never delay seeking medical advice, disregard medical advice, or discontinue medical treatment because of information on this website. Huggies® (and any healthcare professional, where relevant) intend for the information on this website to be up to date, timely and accurate but, to the extent that we are permitted by law, do not accept any liability or responsibility for claims, errors or omissions. Huggies® may amend the material at any time without notice.